Lava Beds National Monument is located in a remote part of northern California. Established in 1925, the Monument has been a wonderful California RV camping destination for years. This unique and diverse Monument is filled with many wonderful things, though it is best known for the many volcano tube caves located within. Lava Beds National Monument is also full of natural and human history, is a great place for viewing wildflowers, has many hiking trails, and is a wonderful way to get in touch with nature.

The park varies in elevation from 4,000 feet to 5,700 feet meaning the weather can be unpredictable depending on your location within Lava Beds National Monument. Summers tend to be warm with an average temperature of 75 degrees. Thunderstorms occur occasionally during the summer months. Winter months tend to be much colder with an average around 35 degrees during the day. Snow doesn’t happen that often, but it is possible to snow any time of the year. Morning fog is a common sight autumn through spring. The temperature underground is nice and mild year round. The Monument is open year round and there is a $10 fee to enter which is valid for 7 days. An annual pass costs $20. There is an interagency annual pas that grants access into most national parks and costs $80.

The main attraction of Lava Beds National Monument is the caves beneath it. Formed thousands of years ago by molten hot lava, these lava tubes are amazingly beautiful and a lot of fun to explore. As the lava flowed downhill the top cooled and hardened, leading to the formation of the many lava tubes. Lavacicles and dripstones are just a few of the intricate and fascinating things left behind. There are many guided tours through the caves as well as plenty of opportunity to explore on your own. The difficulties of the caves vary greatly, asking a ranger is one of the best ways to end up in a cave that is just right for your adventure level. If you need to spend some time above ground, there are many beautiful hiking trails in the park, ranging from short and easy 3/4 mile hikes to longer more strenuous 9 mile long ones. Lava Beds National Monument is also very rich in human history with historic battle sites and lots of Native American rock art. Once you reach Lava Beds National Monument you’ll understand why it is such a wonderful California RV camping destination.